City wants park-and-ride lots near business campuses

New Albany City Council on June 4 adopted legislation that will allow park-and-ride lots for public transportation in the city's business and office campuses.

"It allows this as a use in any of our four zoning districts: community facilities, general employment, limited industrial and our office campus district," City Planner Stephen Mayer said. "We targeted those areas primarily because those are close to our business parks."

Jennifer Chrysler, the city's community development director, said New Albany officials realized laws do not allow park-and-ride lots to be built in the city.

"In the business parks and office parks, I'd like to see mass transportation (used) as much as possible," Councilwoman Colleen Briscoe said.

Chrysler said the lots would have to comply with any design standards in each of the four zoning districts.

Mayer said most of the city's business parks are zoned for general employment or office campus districts.

"We wanted these to be close to the businesses to best serve the people riding the bus to get to their place of employment," Mayer said.

Chrysler said property owners, not the city, would be responsible for maintenance of the lots.

She said city officials expect most park-and-ride lots to be developed by the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

In other business June 4, City Council members agreed to finalize the issuance of notes for $7.6 million to build a 52,000-square-foot community health facility on land owned by the New Albany Co. at the southwest corner of Village Hall and Johnstown roads.

The first floor of the facility is expected to include community rooms and a demonstration kitchen for Healthy New Albany.

A teen room and art room also will be included, along with a fitness facility operated by Integrated Wellness Partners through a partnership with the Ohio State University.

The second floor will include medical services provided by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital.

The entire project is expected to cost $12.25 million, with Ohio State contributing $500,000 and the city providing $1.5 million.

The city has issued $11.75 million in bond debts for the project: $7.6 million in notes for the nonprofit portion of the building and $4.15 million in notes for Integrated Wellness Partners' portion of the building.

The total debt will be reduced by the city's $1.5-million contribution, according to City Manager Joseph Stefanov.